Teel Time: Lucky doesn't begin to describe win

The broken right forearm sustained by Yellow Jackets quarterback Joshua Nesbitt's just before half; Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson's reckless fourth-and-2 gambit near midfield late in the third quarter.

But give the 20th-ranked Hokies credit for turning that luck into a huge payoff: a seventh consecutive victory and probable ACC Coastal Division title.

Other observations:

* The Yellow Jackets committed four false-start penalties in the second half, that due to the home crowd's noise and backup quarterback Tevin Washington's different cadence.

"The crowd helped a lot," Hokies defensive end Steven Friday of Phoebus High said. "We could hardly hear ourselves talk, so I'm sure they had trouble (hearing) the snap count."

* Georgia Tech's 346 yards rushing are the most against the Hokies in Bud Foster's 16 seasons (200 games) as defensive coordinator. Syracuse ran for 338 in 1996.

Yes, the Jackets' scheme is unique and confusing, but Virginia Tech has some work to do before traveling to North Carolina and Miami.

* The second half was Tyrod Taylor's most pedestrian in a while. With Georgia Tech playing a lot of deep zone coverages -- props to coordinator Al Groh -- the Hokies' quarterback was 5-of-11 for 14 yards after intermission.

That said, Taylor was huge when it mattered most, hitting Jarrett Boykin for 7 yards on a fourth-and-3. and Andre Smith for a 2-yard touchdown.

"That's my job," Taylor said, "to run the offense and get the ball to the playmakers."